Each year the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives
(OAEC) holds an “eco-pride” event during the month of February.
The event is for new employees or directors within the cooperative
system of Oklahoma to learn about all the parts of the co-op
program.
Participants learn about;
The Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives – our statewide
organization;
G&T operation including generation and transmission;
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association – the cooperative
national organization.
Touchstone Energy – the cooperative national branding organization;
Rural Utility Services – The lending agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; CoBank and CFC –
Cooperative lending banks;
The statewide credit union and various other cooperative related organizations.
The event is usually well attended and features interesting presentations, and is a good chance for
employees to learn more about distribution cooperatives and how the whole cooperative system in Oklahoma
functions together.

Take the Go Go Geo
Employee Challenge

The GoGoGeo Challenge that was officially launched on February 1, was created by Touchstone

Energy® Cooperatives and is sponsored by Bosch, ClimateMaster and the International Ground Source
Heat Pump Association. Oklahoma and New Mexico homeowners can take the Challenge and discover
the potential savings of retrofitting their homes with state-of-the-art ground source heat pump technology.
For just a few moments of your time, this survey will show you the projected energy savings, tax incentives
available, and the environmental benefits of geothermal technology. For more information visit: http://www.
gogogeochallenge.com/

Why the push to go with geothermal technology? Our goal is to help our members and help WFEC

and our co-ops push the need for future expansion , and the high costs, further into the future. Going
geothermal is a win-win-win for all - WFEC, our co-ops and their members. Consumers who switch to
geothermal technology can save approximately 41 percent on their utility bills, which in turn, will lower every
member’s cost of power. Costs would decrease to the co-op due to lower energy usage, which would in
turn, delay the need for more generation plants, which would also help to keep everyone’s costs lower.
There are also tax incentives and additional rebates available for WFEC employees, which make this a great
time to Go Geo.
Geothermal is also good for the environment. Geothermal works because the ground beneath our feet is
warmer than the outside air in the winter and cooler in the summer. Inserting a series of small pipes into the
ground allows heat to be transferred to and from your home. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) has called ground source heat pumps the most energy-efficient, environmentally clean, and costeffective space conditioning systems available.
Heat pumps offer significant emission
reductions potential, particularly where
they are used for both heating and cooling
and where the electricity is produced from
renewable resources. Ground source heat
pumps have unsurpassed thermal efficiencies
and produce zero emissions locally. Installing
a three ton system is equal to planting one
acre of trees or removing two cars from the
road.
1st Place Prize: Yukon Cooler/Locker

Since WFEC employees and immediate family members living in the home are not eligible to win

the grand prizes donated by House of Kawasaki, WFEC will be providing prizes of our own for a drawing to
include all employees taking the GoGoGeo Employee Challenge. The employee contest will run from March
1 through May 31, with three prizes being drawn on June 16. First prize is a Yukon Cooler/Locker (worth
$350.), 2nd prize is a $100 Visa gift card, 3rd prize is a $50 Visa gift card.

Marketing & Communication staff will be visiting each WFEC plant site to provide a short presentation

and give all employees a chance to take the Challenge, which is a short eight question survey. Staff will
then enter this information and provide an estimated annual percentage and cost savings to your utility bill,
should you choose to switch to geothermal technology. Employees will also learn about various rebates and
discounts available from our sponsors of the GoGoGeo Challenge.

If you miss one of these meetings and would like to take the Challenge, please contact Maria
Crowder, Brittany Hicks, Shay Earthman, Gina Johnson, or Becky Lynch to set up a time to take the
Challenge sometime between March 1 and May 31.

Please feel free to pass on this information. Visit the website and click on the Calendar of Events to

find events where the GoGoGeo Challenge booth will be available for your family and friends to enter the
contest.

The Global Blood Fund
Oklahoma Blood Institute expanded its community with the creation of the Global Blood Fund – a not-for-profit
501(c)(3) organization.
The Global Blood Fund helps secure supplies most needed by blood donor centers in developing countries.
This includes blood pressure cuffs, donor beds, computers, and lab equipment.
Year-round initiatives are used to encourage blood donors to ‘doubly give’. These initiatives encourage donors
to forgo receiving the ‘donor gift’ and Oklahoma Blood Institute gives a monetary contribution of similar value
to the Global Blood Fund.
The March 7th WFEC Blood Drive will be in support of the Global Blood Fund. There will be no ‘donor gifts’ at
this blood drive, instead money will be given to the Global Blood Fund.
All donors 10199 will still be entered into a drawing to win a $50 visa gift card. If you are willing and able,
please stop by the blood drive in the employee meeting room between 7:30a.m. & 12:30p.m. to donate.
Source: orbi.org

America Saves Week: Set a Goal. Make a Plan.
Save Automatically.
America Saves Week (February 24 – March 1, 2014) is a fine time to review your finances, decide what
you want to save for, and set up a system that will allow you to save automatically. Even if you are already
saving, consider taking a look at your goals and deciding if you can save more or start a new savings goal.
Join thousands of others who are pledging to pay down debt, save money, and take financial action during
America Saves Week.
Save for Emergencies. Only 37% of low-to-moderate income households have a savings or money market
account at a bank or credit union and nearly a quarter of savers who have pledged to save have chosen
“emergency savings” as their first wealth-building goal.
Save for Education. Saving for education is the second most popular goal savers select when they pledge to
save with America Saves. There are many different things to factor in when saving and paying for college.
Pay Down Debt. Getting out of debt is the #3 goal Savers select when they pledge to save. That does not
come as a surprise since a 2012 survey found that 45% of families with annual incomes under $50,000 rely
on credit cards to pay for basic needs such as rent, utilities, insurance and food.
Save for a Home. For decades, home ownership has been the main path to wealth for most Americans.
Today, home equity—the market value of a home minus the balance on any home loans—represents more
than four-fifths of the typical family’s wealth.
Save for Retirement. Saving for retirement now will ensure that you have enough money to maintain a
comfortable standard of living when you stop or reduce the amount of hours you work.
Save Automatically. The easiest and most effective way to save is automatically. This is how millions of
Americans save at their bank or credit union, and how millions of employees save through 401(k) and other
retirement programs at work.
Save at Tax Time. Do you spend weeks eagerly anticipating your tax refund? When the money finally comes
in, is it gone tomorrow? Many people view tax refunds as unplanned bonuses to use for splurges or treats.
But a tax refund provides the opportunity to improve your financial situation.

The Administration is reversing course:
ditching our All-of-the-Above energy
strategy for an All-But-One approach
that bans new coal plants.

New regulations essentially require
technology that’s not commercially
viable and prohibitively expensive—
leading to higher bills down the line.

TOP4FACTS
ABOUT THE EPA’S NEW CLIMATE REGULATIONS

3.

LIMITS ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE,
DOMESTIC ENERGY

By banning new coal plants, Americans
forfeit a 236-year domestic source of
energy with a historically stable price.

4.

HISTORY REPEATS:
ALL-BUT-ONE DOESN’T WORK

A 1978 mandate prevented use of natural
gas & forced utilities into coal or nuclear—
before common sense prevailed and it
was repealed 9 years later.

ACTION.COOP
The EPA that it extended the comment period for the new plant rule regulating greenhouse gas to May 9.
This is great news as we’ll continue to request comments (more than 270,000 so far) and keep the heat on
the EPA. Go to action.coop to learn more. Way to go WFEC employees! Close to 100 have now sent a
message to the EPA. Please take a minute and send a message if you have not already, and feel free to pass
this information on to your family and friends.

Safety Tips

Working on electricity? Be smart

The smartest, safest way to fix an electrical problem around your house
is to call a licensed electrician.
Even if you are an expert handyman, it’s just not
smart to fool around with electricity.
If you must, however, at least:

Turn the power off at the breaker box. Don’t just turn the appliance or light off
if you’re going to tinker with it. No power means no chance of a shock. In fact,
tape the breaker into the “off” position and let everyone in the house know
you’re working on the electricity so nobody will switch it back on.
Check all of the wires. When you open a fixture or an electrical box, assure
yourself that none of the wires are “hot.”
Test them all using a tester.
Wear gloves, goggles and conductive shoes, which prevent
the buildup of static electricity in your body.
Avoid metal-handled tools and ladders. Choose properly insulated tools for
electrical jobs. Invest in a wooden or fiberglass 10201 ladder with insulated
feet. And inspect your power tools for damaged cords and plugs.
Stay away from water. If you’ve got an electrical problem in a wet location, call
for help. This is not a job for a non-electrician.

Happy Birthday wishes go out to all WFEC employees enjoying
a birthday. Have a wonderful day!
Paul Luhring

3/01

Angie Law

Sharad Rastogi

3/01

Johnny Rodriguez

3/01

Randy Parr

3/01

Ron Melton

3/02

Jeff Green

3/06

Robert Birch

3/07

Barry Reed

3/09

Brian Hobbs

3/09

Kooney Duncan

3/12

Rex Mathis

3/12

Roger Burns

3/13

Jeramy Tackett

3/13

Richard Mears

3/13

3/01

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our lives improve only when we take chances and the first
and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves.â&#x20AC;?

Hidden Employee Numbers
Sorry, Becky Caldwell and Kyle Power did
not find their employee numbers in the last issue.
You could be the next winner of a $10 Logo Room credit.
If you find your employee number in this edition, call
Brittany Hicks at Ext. 4335. Please use your credit
before the next payday if possible.